Scraping and cleaning device



J. A. EGO

SCRAPING AND CLEANING DEVICE March 31, 1959 2 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1955 INVENTOR. W 7": BY g /TTflFA/EVI March 31, 1959 J. A. EGO 2,879,530

SCRAP-ING AND CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q I INVENTOR.

Mac w f ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,879,530 SCRAPING AND CLEANING DEVICE James A. Ego, Lorain, Ohio Application March 3, 1955, Serial No. 491,803 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-1043) This invention relates to a scraping device for removing paint, varnish, and the like from surfaces such as walls, floors, and furniture, and particularly to a device of this character in which the freed paint and varnish particles or flakes are prevented from scattering and instead are entrapped in a receptacle concurrently with their being freed from the surface being scraped.

Heretofore, scrapers and like tools for removing varnish, paint, and foreign matter from walls, floors, shipdesks and the like have been provided. In some of these prior devices, the scraping tool is in the form of a blade movable in a predetermined direction for scraping and a positive air blast is directed from a location, which in the scraping direction is in advance of the blade, toward the blade for blowing the freed particles from in front of the blade concurrently wiht their being freed by the tool.

In others, a suction nozzle is arranged with its inlet rearwardly from the blade in the direction of the scraping, thus sucking a stream of air past the blade in a direction opposite to the scraping direction.

When paints, varnishes and the like are removed from the surfaces by scraping, the paints and varnishes first crack into flakes and particles which tend to resist removal until considerable internal stresses are built up in them and in the bond between them and the surface being scraped. When these internal stresses increase to a predetermined degree, the flakes generally break loose suddenly. The internal stresses, being thus released, dissipate themselves in propelling the flakes at high velocity and with considerable force in the direction of scraping, and frequently along paths biased to that direction so that they scatter badly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a scraping device so arranged that these flakes are constrained from scattering and, instead, are entrapped almost instantly upon their separation from the surface being scraped, and surface is maintained in a clean condition, particularly directly in advance of the scraping tool.

It is desirable to provide such a scraping device with a suction means having an inlet in advance of the blade in the scraping direction so that the propelling force of the air stream induced by the suction is directed in the scraping direction and is cumulative with respect to the propelling force occasioned by release of the internal stresses created in the flakes by scraping.

For the purposes of illustration, the present invention is described hereinafter as applied to the removal of paint, its effectiveness with varnish and other hard coatings of similar materials being readily apparent from the illustrative example.

Generally the present invention comprises a scraping tool in the form of a blade or sanding block combined with a receptacle device having an open mouth or inlet arranged closely adjacent the scraping portion of the tool and in the path thereof in advance: of the blade in the direction of scraping, and opening tlheretoward, an apron wall forming a portion of the inlet Ito .the receptacle and being movable relative to the tool in a direction toward and away from the surface being scraped so that the apron portion fits snugly against the surface during scraping, and lateral wing walls forming portions of the inlet and being readily movable relative to the tool transversely of the scraping path so that a wing wall can conform to, and seal against a surface intersecting the surface being scraped, such as a side wall contiguous to a floor surface being scraped.

Another feature resides in the provision of a primary receptacle with a means for attaching it to a suction score, such as the suction hose of a household vacuum cleaner, so that the primary receptacle and vacuum cleaner combined provide an enlarged receptacle into which the freed paint flakes and particles are drawn by vacuum induced air flow from a position imediately in advance of the blade in the direction of scraping.

For purposes of description the scraping tool is referred to hereinafter as a blade, it being understood that the tool may be in the form of a stationary sanding block or the like which functions somewhat in the same manner as a blade as the device is drawn along a surface in the scraping direction.

Various objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation of a scrapping device embodying the principles of the present invention, showing the same combined with a household vacuum cleaner;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the device illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 2 part thereof being shown in section for clearness in illustration;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 2, part thereof being shown in section, and showing the manner in which the device cooperates with the ceiling when scraping a ceiling;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 2, looking toward the inlet of the receptacle and illustrating the manner in which the receptacle co operates with a surface intersecting the surface being scriped;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the blade used in the device illustrated in Figures 1 through 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of .scraper used in the device; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a scraper in the form of a sanding block used in the device as illustrated in Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 through 5, the device comprises essentially a receptacle or hollow member 1 to which is connected a scraping tool member 2 which may be in the form of a blade and which is operable for scraping when moved in a predetermined direction-for example, to the right in Figures 1 and 3. The tool member 2 is preferably detachably mounted on a T-shape connector 3 which, in turn, is connected to the receptacle 1 near its inletend.

The inlet end portion of the receptacle 1 is preferably somewhat flattened edgewise of the blade and elongated laterally of the receptacle or endwise of the tool member so as to provide a relatively long narrow inlet passage which is spaced in advance of the tool member in the scraping direction and is in alignment with the tool mem ber. Mounted on one ofthe members and forming a continuation of the lower wall of the inlet end portion of the receptacle 1 is an apron wall 4. The apron wall projects beyond the receptacle 1 toward the tool member opposite to the scraping direction and terminates at its free end short of the leading limit of the scraping portion of the tool member. The scraping portion of the tool member is elongated transversely of the scraping path. The free end margin of the apron wall 4 is coextensive in width, in a direction transversely of the scraping path, with the length of the scraping portion. The free end margin of the apron wall is resilient and selfrestoring and is movable relative to the tool member in a direction toward and away from the plane of a surface being scraped by the tool member, such as the fioor F in Fig. 3. The free end margin normally is spaced from the tool toward the surface or floor so as to engage the surface or floor prior to the engagement of the surface or floor by the tool. For example, referring to Fig. 2, the resilient free end margin is below the level of the scraping edge of the tool member when the free end margin is not in engagement with the surface F. Since the free end margin is resilient and self-restoring, it seals against the surface or floor when the tool is moved into scraping engagement with the surface or floor and it returns to normal position when the tool is removed from the surface or floor.

Means are provided for rendering the apron wall selfrestoring to a predetermined position in which its free end is below the level of the tool member in Figure 3 when the apron wall is not in engagement with the surface F.

The apron wall preferably extends endwise of the tool member or transversely of the scraping path, beyond the ends of the tool member respectively.

At the lateral limits of the apron wall 4 are wing walls 5, respectively, which form continuations of the side walls of the inlet of the member 1. The wing walls are movable relative to the blade member endwise of the tool member or transversely of the scraping path, and preferably terminate near to but outwardly from the ends of the tool member.

Means are provided for rendering the wing walls selfrestoring to a normal position when they are unstressed by engagement of themselves or the apron wall with a surface being scraped.

Thus the apron wall 4 and wing walls 5 form in effect the end of the receptacle or hollow member 1 and define an inlet opening in advance of the tool member in the scraping direction and aligned therewith and of a shape and size such that the projection of the scraping portion of the tool member in the direction of scraping lies wholly within the boundary of said inlet opening when the apron wall and wing walls are in their normal condition out of contact with any-surfaces.

Several means may be provided for rendering the apron wall 4 and wing walls 5 thus movable and self-restoring. The most convenient means is by constructing them of a material which is readily resiliently movable and inherently self-restoring.

Accordingly, the walls 4 and 5 in the form illustrated are formed of an ordinary flat strip of rubber or suitable self-restoring resilient material which may be wrapped around the end of the receptacle so as to provide a sleeve 6, and held securely in place by being clamped between the T-shaped fitting 3 and the top wall of the receptacle or member 1.

The strip preferably is cut so that when formed into the sleeve 6, the sleeve flares outwardly from the member 1 toward the tool member 2, thus defining an entrance passage at 6 which in the unstressed condition of the sleeveis slightly longer endwise of the scraping portion of: the tool member 2 than the scraping portion. Thus, the lateral limits of the passage 6 formed by the wing walls s are disposed laterally of the receptacle or member 1- outwardly beyond the ends of the tool member 2.

Portions of the wall of the rigid-part of the receptacle or. member 1 are cutaway, asindicated at 7', so as to provide greater flexibility for the wing walls 5.

Thus, as best illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, the underside of the apron wall 4 is moved relative to the tool member 2 toward the tool member and conforms to a fiat surface, such as the fioor F, and lies in firm contact therewith when the tool member 2 is in scraping position on the surface, and the receptacle or member 1 is tilted so as to slope outwardly from the surface in the scraping direction. The movement of the apron wall 4 due to applying the tool member 2 to the floor causes the wing walls 5 to spread farther apart, thus widening the inlet 6 and assuring that flakes of paint propelled bias to the scraping path will pass into the inlet 6.

As a result all flakes of paint removed by the tool member 2 pass immediately into the closely adjacent entrance inlet 6.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the opposite end of the receptacle or member 1 may be connected to the suction hose 13 of a vacuum producing means such as a household vacuum cleaner. The suction means is operative to maintain the suction through the receptacle 1. When thus combined with a vacuum source, the suction at the inlet 6 induces an air flow which removes dust and flakes from the path of the tool member 2, and propels them in the scraping direction. Thus, the movement imparted to the flakes by the internal stresses produced in them by scraping and that imparted by the suction induced air stream are cumulative.

Mounted near the inlet end of the receptacle or member 1 is a handle 7 which is connected to a yoke 8 carried or secured to the top Wall of the receptacle 1. The handle is pivotally connected to the yoke by a pivot 9 which is readily removable so that the device can be used with or without the handle 7. The handle is particularly desirable when Working on a ceiling or side walls of a room as in such cases it affords another grip on the device aside from that offered by grasping the receptacle itself.

On the other hand, the handle can be detached readily when necessary to get into close corners.

Referring to Figure 4, the receptacle 1 is shown as used on the ceiling in which case it is inverted from the position illustrated in Figures 1 through 3. When so used, all of the paint removed from the ceiling by the tool member 2 normally falls by gravity into the receptacle or hollow member 1. Accordingly the suction hose 10 may be dispensed with and the end of the receptacle opposite from the inlet closed by a plug 11.

As mentioned, it is desirable that the wing walls 5 be readily movable endwise of the tool 2 or transversely of the scraping path so that the device can be used to scrape one surface adjacent an intersecting surface.

As illustrated in Figure 5 the device is shown scraping the horizontal floor F adjacent its intersection with an upright molding strip M. In such condition the wing Wall 5 engages the molding strip and is moved inwardly thereby so that the corresponding end of the tool member 2 can engage the floor F at the intersection.

If the walls 4 and 5 are of resilient material, not only can they move inwardly and outwardly, but also they can conform to somewhat irregular surfaces. The tool member 2, in the form of a blade, also has its ends bevelled inwardly from the bottom to the top so that the ends of the scraping portion, as indicated at 12, can extend fully into the intersection of the two surfaces without interference by the remainder of the blade. Also, this assures an opening, as indicated at 13, at the end of the blade adjacent the molding M so that an induced air stream can be maintained even when the wing wall and scraping portion of the blade are against the molding.

Frequently, after scraping the heavier coats of paint from the surface, it is desirable to scrape and polish the surface to a higher degree in which case the tool member 2 in the form of a blade may be removed from the T-fitting and a sanding block 14, which is also a scraper, substituted as the tool member 2.

The sanding block, illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, preferably comprises a rigid block having a notch 16 into which the T-fitting 3 fits snugly and to which the block is secured by means of bolts 17.

It is apparent fromthe foregoing description that the device has distinct advantages and can be used for scraping paints, varnishes and other dry foreign matter from the surfaces without the foreign matter becoming scattered about the room.

Further, it is to benoted that modifications of the specific embodiments illustrated may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A scraping device comprising a scraping tool member having a scraping portion operable to scrape a surface portion when moved therealong, said scraping portion being elongated transversely of the scraping path, a hollow member connected to the tool member and having an open end, a resilient self-restoring element connected to one of the members and forming therewith a passage leading into the hollow member and having an inlet end in advance of the scraping portion in the scraping direction and near to and aligned therewith, and said resilient element normally extending laterally of said path, at each lateral limit of the scraping portion, at least from a location inwardly from the adjacent lateral limit of the scraping portion outwardly beyond said adjacent lateral limit, and the portions of the element forming the side walls of the passage being unconstrained for free movement inwardly at least to said lateral limit of the scraping portion and being movable laterally by elastic deformation inwardly at least to said lateral limit of the scraping portion thereby to permit each lateral limit of the scraping portion to scrape substantially at the intersection of the wall being scraped with an intersecting wall extending parallel to the scraping path.

2. A tubular member open at one end, a resilient selfrestoring sleeve of organic material, said member and sleeve interfitting for a portion of their length at said end of the tubular member, and the remainder of the sleeve extending beyond the open end of the tubular member, a scraping tool connected to the tubular member and having an elongated scraping portion near to and aligned with the outermost end of the sleeve and,

extending transversely relative to the sleeve and spaced beyond said outermost end of the sleeve in a direction away from the tubular member, and the projection of said scraping portion endwise of the sleeve lying wholly within the boundary of the inlet opening when the sleeve is in a normal condition wherein it is undeformed by engagement with a surface being scraped, and said sleeve, at each lateral limit of the scraping portion, from a location inwardly from the adjacent lateral limit of the scraping portion outwardly beyond said adjacent lateral limit, being unconstrained for free movement inwardly at least to said lateral limit of the scraping portion and being movable laterally by elastic deformation at least to said lateral limit of the scraping portion thereby to permit each lateral limit of the scraping portion to scrape substantially at the intersection of the wall being scraped with an intersecting wall extending parallel to the scraping path.

3. A scraping device comprising a scraping tool member having a scraping portion operable to scrape a sur' face when moved in a scraping direction therealong, said scraping portion being elongated transversely of the scraping direction, a hollow member connected to the tool member for movement therewith in the scraping direction, an apron wall connected to one of the members for movement with the members in the scraping direction, and having a resilient free end margin substantially coextensive, transversely of the scraping direction, with, and in alignment with, the scraping portion, and spaced in advance of the scraping portion in the scraping direction, said free end margin being movable, by the one of the members to which the apron wall is attached, relative to the scraping portion in a direction toward and away from the surface being scraped, lateral wing walls connected to one of the members and positioned, in a direction transversely of the scraping direction, near the ends of the scraping portion and normally disposed outwardly beyond said ends, said wing walls being unconstrained for free movement inwardly and being readily movable transversely of the scraping path inwardly, at least to the ends, respectively, of the scraping portion, thereby to permit the lateral limit of the scraping portion to scrape substantially at the intersection of the wall being scraped with an intersecting wall parallel to the scraping path, and said free end margin and wing walls defining with one of the members an inlet opening into the hollow member which opening is positioned in advance of the scraping portion in the scraping direction, and which is generally aligned with, and is near to, but spaced from, the scraping portion.

4. A scraping device according to claim 3 characterized in that said wing walls and free end margin of the apron wall are, integral and continuous and are composed of resilient self-restoring organic material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,389 ONeil June 8, 1886 456,838 Opitz July 28, 1894 526,585 Seaman Sept. 25, 1894 932,738 Wilson Aug. 31, 1909 1,446,854 Marshall Feb. 27, 1923 1,643,856 Romero Sept. 27, 1927 1,883,327 Becker Oct. 18, 1932 2,027,793 Smith Ian. 14, 1936 2,146,317 Steinhilber Feb. 7, 1939 2,308,047 Blakeslee Jan. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,542 Denmark Apr. 29, 1907 58,617 Denmark Apr. 21, 1941 

